Who we are
SCI’s mission is to promote a culture of peace by organising international volunteering projects
with local and global impact.
Our History
SCI Hellas is an independent international socio-political organization that works to defend human rights through international voluntary cooperation and solidarity projects aimed at establishing a culture of peace.
It is the Greek branch of Service Civil International, an international peace movement aimed at promoting the idea of peaceful coexistence of people with different cultural backgrounds through their participation in international voluntary work programmes of short and / or long duration, educational programmes within non-formal learning and international campaigns.
How we work
Culture of peace is an integral approach to preventing violence and conflicts, and an alternative to the culture of war and violence, based on education for peace, the promotion of sustainable economic and social development, respect for human rights, equality between women and men, democratic participation, tolerance, the free flow of information and disarmament.
SCI’s vision is a world of peace, social justice and sustainable development, where all people live together with mutual respect and without recourse to any form of violence to solve conflict.
Values
SCI is open to all. It was one of the first organisations to divest itself of all political or religious affiliations in its work of promoting peace and intercultural understanding through practical action.
Volunteering
Volunteering in the sense of acting out of self-initiative, without seeking material reward and for the benefit of civil society, as a method and a statement for social change, whilst never competing with paid labour nor seeking to contribute to strike-breaking.
Non-Violence
Non-Violence as a principle and a method.
Solidarity
International solidarity for a more just world and solidarity between human beings on all levels.
Human Rights
Respect for individuals as stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Environment
Respect for the Environment and the ecosystem of which we are a part and on which we are dependent.
Inclusion
Inclusion to be open and inclusive to all individuals who share the aims and objectives of the movement, without regard to gender, colour, religion, nationality, social status or political views and any other possible grounds for discrimination.
Empowerment
Empowerment providing people with means (knowledge, tools) to understand and act in order to transform the social, cultural and economic structures that affect their lives at all levels.
Cooperation
Cooperation with local communities as well as other local, national and international actors to strengthen the positive potential within civil society as a whole.
Our main activities
- Organising short and long term International Voluntary Projects (IVS) in Greece in collaboration with local bodies
- Sending Greek volunteers to International Voluntary Projects abroad (short and long term)
- Coordination of voluntary projects for hosting volunteers in Greece (long-term)
- Actions to promote the idea of volunteering
- Organising actions and workshops on Human Rights and Intercultural Education in collaboration with schools, non-formal groups and other youth organizations
- Organising training seminars on conflict resolution and team empowerment for Greek and foreign volunteers
- Supporting initiatives of (non-formal groups of) refugees, asylum seekers and migrants with an aim to social inclusion.
Bala Patisia
The Bala_Patisia project is an action which is part of the co-Athens implemented by the European pilot program of the Municipality of Athens Curing the Limbo, through the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency. The program is co-financed by the ERDF, under the UIA program.
The Bala_Patisia project aims to create a meeting and interaction place of the diverse groups of people in Kato Patissia.
From February to May 2021 with the collaboration of the Umoja-Enosi fc, SCI Hellas and non formal groups the court and the park at the corner of Kambouroglou and Samara streets will be repaired, a street football championship for teens and adults, masterclasses, seminars on fair play and football techniques, movie projections and discussions on football will be organized.
Rationale
In this multicultural area our aim is for the court and park to become a space for coexistence for the locals of the area, mainly the young ones, to have easy access to a sports space and entertainment without distinction and strengthen the undertaking of initiatives and responsibility on behalf of the users of the park and the court as for the maintenance, the cleanliness and the strengthening of its identity as a park of meeting cultures, ages and activities (agreement for its use by small groups, organization of football and other sports and cultural meetings, organization of workshops of creative activities with children, youngsters and women of the neighbourhood are some of the things we will aim to be done on a regular basis).
When it all begins
Thursday, January 21, 2021 the project kicks off with an open online meeting for the presentation of the Bala_Patisia project, called “Football Unites!”
Activities
The main activity of the project lies in street football, the most popular sport in the world in its simplest form, that which we have all played at some point in our life. Football tournaments, academies for children and young people, freestyle and masterclasses by specialists who live and are active in the area.
Given this we enjoy other team sports as well as the cultures of the residents of the neighbourhood by organizing creative activities of artistic, cultural content for all, especially children (films, dance, music, discussions, recycling, creative workshops and many more).
Research
We are looking into the athletes who live and play football in Greece both professionally and non- professionally. Refugees, migrants, asylum seekers, 2nd generation footballers find here a place to tell their story and help us research the ways the most popular sport in the world helps them in their social inclusion process by finding themselves, exploring their skills, fulfilling their dreams, living their purpose and giving meaning to their lives.
Their motivation towards social inclusion in the Greek-European society is key in playing football and visibility of the importance of these people’s own capacity is key to living a quality life wherever they are.
Football Unites!
Research into how football unites people from various backgrounds.